Media storage systems, or autochangers, are commonly used to store data cartridges at known locations and to retrieve the desired data cartridges so that data may be written to and/or read from the data cartridges. Accordingly, large volumes of computer-readable data can be stored on numerous data cartridges and accessed by a single computer or by multiple computers connected to the media storage system over a network.
Such media storage systems may include one or more storage magazines and cartridge read/write devices arranged in a generally U-shaped configuration, although other arrangements are also possible. The storage magazines serve as storage locations for the data cartridges, and the read/write devices may be used to read and/or write data on the data cartridges. The media storage system may also include a cartridge-engaging assembly, or “picker”, as well as a drive system for moving the cartridge-engaging assembly among the data cartridges stored in the media storage system. For example, if a certain data cartridge is to be read, a control system causes the cartridge-engaging assembly to move to the location of the desired data cartridge. Then, the cartridge-engaging assembly retrieves the data cartridge and delivers it to the cartridge read/write device where the user can access the data thereon. The control system may also cause the cartridge-engaging assembly to return the data cartridge to the storage magazine following the read/write operation.
The media storage system may also have one or more storage compartments that may be opened to add, remove, or rearrange individual data cartridges and/or storage magazines in the media storage system. For example, the storage compartments may be opened so that new or different data cartridges can be added to the media storage system. Alternatively, the storage compartments may be opened so that data cartridges that have reached their capacity may be removed from the media storage system and archived.
When the media storage system is powered on, the data cartridges are inventoried so that they can be located and accessed during operations. In addition, the access panels for the storage compartments are typically locked so that they cannot be opened until the media storage system is powered off and so that the inventory remains valid during operations. When the media storage system is powered off, the access panels for the storage compartments are unlocked so that they may be opened and the storage magazines and/or data cartridges can be added, removed, or rearranged.
Any of the storage compartments may have been opened and the storage magazines and/or data cartridges removed, repositioned, or added to the media storage system while it was powered off. Accordingly, each time the media storage system is powered on, the entire media storage system must be inventoried so that the data cartridges can be located and accessed during operations. Taking inventory of the entire media storage system is a time-consuming process, particularly when only some of the data cartridges were removed, repositioned, or added. Indeed, it is an unnecessary delay where none of the data cartridges were changed while the media storage system was powered off (e.g., during a temporary power failure).